God’s Complete Provision
Today we are going to talk about BREAD! I have to admit that I have a weakness for bread. I just love the smell, the taste and the texture of warm bread. Wow! I am getting hungry as I write this text! The Lord’s Prayer turns into a practical need in today’s moment together.
“Give us today our daily bread…”
I love this section because of the word “today.” Life is done one day at a time which means the rest of my life starts today! What a request, “Give me today, God, just what I need for today. You said in your word not to worry about tomorrow because tomorrow has enough worries of its own, so God, help me to focus on today as You provide all that I need. I am going to trust you God with provision for today...and that’s enough”.
According to a recent poll, most people think it is good to pray before meals. We say “Grace” to thank God for the food. GK Chesterton said we should say “Grace” more often. He says, “You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.” Amen!
friend, God will provide everything you need for today, out of His glorious, inexhaustible riches that are found in only one place, Christ Jesus. The prayer continues...
“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors…”
Repentance and confession are essential parts of a powerful prayer life. Asking God for forgiveness, while forgiving those who need our forgiveness, is also a necessary part of a powerful prayer life. They go hand in hand. Receiving God’s forgiveness and then granting forgiveness led by the example of Jesus, keeps our prayers humble and answerable. We are the forgiven people of God, so we do not hold back grace…we forgive.
friend, this is a great moment to ask God whether there is a place in your life that you need to return to and clean up, make amends, or release a judgment? Why is that so important to my own prayer life? Because I cannot cling to the forgiveness of God while holding on to a lack of forgiveness toward someone else! It just doesn’t work and unforgiveness impedes our prayers.
Today, take a moment to ask for, and grant forgiveness. Allow the grace of God to touch your heart as you pray:
“Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:9-13, NKJV)
You are a miracle!
